On Freezing of Supercooled Droplets Shattered by Shock Waves

Myron N. Plooster National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colo.

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Abstract

Supercooled water droplets in free fall were shattered by shock waves in a laboratory shock tube, and the fragments thus produced were examined for the presence of ice crystals. The experimental results show that the probability of formation of ice crystals by the shattering process is very small. It thus appears improbable that shock waves from lightning strokes or explosive charges can substantially increase the concentrations of ice crystals in a supercooled cloud by this mechanism.

Abstract

Supercooled water droplets in free fall were shattered by shock waves in a laboratory shock tube, and the fragments thus produced were examined for the presence of ice crystals. The experimental results show that the probability of formation of ice crystals by the shattering process is very small. It thus appears improbable that shock waves from lightning strokes or explosive charges can substantially increase the concentrations of ice crystals in a supercooled cloud by this mechanism.

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